Amusement apparatus.



B. J. SAGEHOMME. AMUSEMENT APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED 1320.31, 1908.

Patented Mar. 9, 1909.

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/1 TTUHWE YS B. J. SAGEHOMME.

AMUSEMENT APPARATUS.

APPLIOATION FILED DEO. 31, 1908.

914,884, Patented Mar. 9, 1909.

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BAUDUIN J. SAGEHOMME, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

AMUSEMEN T APPARATUS.

Specoation of Letters Patent.

Patented March 9, 1909.

Application filed December 31, 1908. Serial No. 470,142.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, BAUDUIN J. SAGE- HOMME, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of New York, borough of Manhattan, in the county and State oi New York, have invented a new and Improved Amusement Apparatus, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The invention is an improvement in amusement apparatus embodying two sets oi' cars or other amusement devices movable in Opposite directions, with the cars oi one set during the operation oi the apparatus repeatedly crossing the path of the cars oi the other set.

To this end the invention may be deiined as consisting oi tracks, each track composed of a series oi reverse curves regularly arranged about a common central axis, with the tracks intersecting at the points of change of curvature, and cars simultaneously movable over the tracks in opposite directions.

Reierence is to be. had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this speciiication, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a plan of an amusement apparatus embodying my invention, partly in horizontal section; Fig. 2 is an edge view of the apparatus 5 Fig. 3 is a horizontal section of the same substantially on the line 3-3 ot' Eig. 4 g and Eig. 4 is a vertical section on the line 4 4 of Eig. 3.

ln the preferred construction of' the apparatus as illustrated there is a bed or baseplate 5 of suitable extent, and a similar floorplate or iioor 6, the two being separated a substantial distance apart and secured together in any suitable manner, as, for example, by vertical supports or bolts 7 and 8, the bolts 7 being arranged in rows concentric with the plates, and the bolts 8 equi-distantly spaced apart and concentrically arranged with respect to the plates between the two rows of the bolts 7. Each bolt 8, as best shown in Eig. 4, has the body portion thereof oi angular crosssection fitted in and extending through the plates and carrying a bushing or thimble 9, against which the inner faces 0i the plates bear and are held in proper spaced relation. On the thimbles 9 are journaled gears 10, which seat on the bottom plate 5 and are oi such diameter as to form a continuous intermeshing train. On the upper 'face of each gear is carried a driver 11, having a concentric annular groove 12, with communicating radialslots or grooves 13, preferably four in number and arranged diagonally oi the driver, giving the same the appearance of a Maltese cross. The drivers on alternating gears are each relatively higher than the adjacent drivers, in order that the radially slotted portions oi each driver may vertically register with those of the adjacent driver as the gears are revolved. The arrangement of the drivers on their respective gears is such, that when a radial slot ot one driver registers with a radial slot of an adjacent driver, the radial slots of these drivers will occupy an intermediate position with respect to the radial slots of the adjacent drivers at the opposite sides. It is accordingly necessary that the gears and drivers be or' an even number in order that the arrangement will properly work out, and to this end l have shown eight gears and drivers, although this number could be increased or diminished by two without altering the nature oic the construction.

The top plate 6 is provided with two tracks 14 and 15 respectively, in the nature ofslots, each track being continuous and made up oi: a series of reverse curves, with the curves of the tracks oppositely arranged and intersecting at the points where the curvature changes. Each curve of each track is of semi-circular form and concentric with respect to one of the gears and its respective driver, thus in eiiect giving to the two tracks the appearance or' a series of tangential circular slots equal in diameter to the pitch diameter of the gears.

0n the floor-plate 6 are two sets of cars or other amusement devices 16 and 17 respectively, each car having a depending pin or stud 18 passing into the groove of one of the drivers, that portion of the pin or stud extending into the groove being of circular form, as shown in cross-section in Fig. 3, and with the portion or shoe 18a passing through the slotted track being relatively long in cross-section and pointed at each end, as shown in Fig. 1.

For driving the train of gears any suitable means may be provided; l have, however, shown a gear 20 intermeshing with one of the gears 10 and secured to a vertical shaft 21 journaled at opposite ends in the base and Hoor-plates, the latter having extended ears 22 for this purpose. Also attached to the shaft 21 is a pulley 23 adapted to be driven from any suitable source of power by a belt 24. On setting the gears in motion in the directions as indicated by the arrows in Fig. 3, the cars on the two tracks will be caused to travel simultaneously in opposite directions, the cars on the opposite tracks alternately crossing the path of each other at the intersection of the tracks during the operation of the apparatus. The cars are enforced to move from the curve of one track to the reverse curve of the same track instead of traveling continuously around in a circle, by reason or the shape of the shoe 18a. The forward point of this shoe, as can be seen from Fig. 1, engages in one curve before the rear point leaves the reverse curve, causing the radial slot of one driver' to release the pin or stud 1l as the next adjacent driver takes hold. This release and engagement of the drivers makes it necessary to flare the ends of the radial slots, as shown in Fig. 3.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

l. The combination in an amusement apparatus, of' a floor-plate having a series of circular slots arranged tangentially to each other, with the slots forming two continuous tracks, amusement devices arranged on the tracks, having members passing through the slots and provided with shoes, and driving means arranged under the floor-plate in engagement with the shoes to move said devices over the two tracks simultaneously and in opposite directions. Y

2. The combination in an amusement apparatus, of continuous tracks regularly arranged about a common axis, each' track composed of a series of reverse curves, with the tracks intersecting at the points of change oi curvature, and cars movable over the tracks in opposite directions.

3. The combination in an amusement apparatus, of a floor-plate having a series of circular slots therein arranged tangential to each other, with the slots forming two continuous tracks, and cars in engagement with each track, with the cars of one track movable in an opposite direction from the cars of the other track and simultaneously therewith. c

4. The combination in an amusement apparatus, of continuous tracks, each track composed of a series of reverse curves, with the centers ol said curves lying in a circle, and the tracks intersecting-at the points of change of curvature, and cars movable over the tracks in opposite directions and alternately crossing in front of each other at the points of intersection of the tracks.

5. The combination of a floor-plate having a continuous chain of tangential circular slots providing intersecting tracks, drivers revolubly mounted under the floor-plate concentrically arranged with respect to the tracks, each having a number of radial slots successively movable into vertical alinement with the slots of adjacent drivers, cars, and a member depending from each car having a shoe in the slot of one of the tracks for directing it in its course and extending into engagement with one of the slots of the drivers. ln testimony whereof' I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

BAUDUIN J. SAGEHOMME /Vitnesses l/V. HOLT, JoHN- P. DAVIS. 

